Chester, PA — Another C Note posted a 29-1 upset over Lafitte when the pair of pacers met on March 30 at Pocono Downs. On Sunday (April 12) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, they both came south and promptly won the two featured events – but it was Lafitte, up in class, who won the $14,000 headliner in 1:52.3, while Another C Note was in the subfeature and remained undefeated in two seasonal starts in 1:53.
Lafitte, a gelded son of Tall Dark Stranger trained by Travis Alexander for Morrison Racing Stables, was in the Pocono event as an “eligible at time of entry” (ETE) after a win, and his bankroll had swelled to the point that he had to take a step up. Lafitte still was backed down to 3-5 status Sunday, and driver Andrew McCarthy quickly got him to the top, set a solid pace, then withstood a tough first-over challenge from Lochlan Hanover by a length to move his seasonal record to 3-2-1-0.
Another C Note, who posted the big upset at the mountain track, still had the eligibility to race in the $13,500 subclass, and he drew off in the final quarter to win by 2-1/2 lengths. A sophomore colt by Captaintreacherous, Another C Note was sent off at co-4-5 odds with Moneyhill GB (the latter had $16 more on him to win), yielded to that foe to sit in the two-hole then vacated that spot on the far turn, and his victory appeared never in doubt through the lane.
The 12-year-old Shadow Play gelding Jack’s Shadow N made a :27.1 dash down the back to pass pacesetting favorite Spring Flash, who was coming off four straight wins at Rosecroft, and kept a 1-1/2 length lead to the wire in the $13,000 fast-class handicap pace in 1:51.3. Tim Tetrick drove the winner of $485,327 to victory for trainer Scott Di Domenico, and the ownership of Di Domenico’s Triple D Stable Inc., Oompa’s Farm Inc., and Robert Mondillo. Jack’s Shadow N, unraced until four, recorded four wins Down Under before being imported at five, and since coming over he has posted 30 of his 49 Stateside victories at Harrah’s Philly, with a victory here in each of the last eight years.
Driver Tetrick, five-time defending dash champion at the riverside oval, added three wins Sunday to his quadruple on Opening Day while looking to go “wire-to-wire” for six straight crowns. Doubling drivers on the program were Joe Bongiorno, Andrew McCarthy, Patrick Ryder, and Ridge Warren; both of Patrick’s wins came for father-trainer Chris, the only conditioner to double.
Harrah’s next betting action comes on “Trottin’ Thursday” at 12:25 p.m., with fast diamondgaiters in the $16,000 feature, but the Tuesday qualifiers at 9:30 a.m. will be watched by many as stakes three-year-olds are putting the final touches on their preparations for the stakes season just around the corner. Free Philly pari-mutuel program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.